Panel building elements

ABSTRACT

A building element 20 comprises a double-skinned panel main member 22, and an elongate fixing member 24 therefor projecting therefrom with a distal shoulder 26 facing the main member 22, the fixing member 24 being provided with anchorage means 24,40,42 passing completely through a block 64 at the edge of the main member 22. The element 20 may be in the form of a kit of parts including holding means 40,42 and spacing means 44. Preferably, element 20 has holes 80 for fixing members 24 of a contiguous element, retained by members 36 inserted through slots 88 and bearing against inner face 84 of block 64. 
     The fixing members as pins 24 may extend perpendicular to edge 56 for corner fixing together of contiguous elements. Pins 24 may be retained at inner face 70 of block 62 by similar means or by threaded means. Pins 24 may be replaced by depending rods 122 bent to provide shoulders 126 in an anchorage trench 128 in flooring base 134.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

In the construction industry, cavity walling is generally made from twoskins of brickwork and block work with a cavity between. This can bereplaced by prefabricated building elements in the form of boards madeas cavity panels having adequate mechanical properties.

A major problem is to fix such panels together firmly and accurately andto fix them in place on ground or floor.

THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a buildingelement. It will be appreciated immediately that the element can havemuch wider application than to walling. For example, the elements can befixed together for floor or ceiling purposes, or again can be completecylinders fixed one above another to form a support tower.

In transporting the prefabricated building elements according to theinvention, there is a danger of the projecting fixing members beingbroken off or damaged by mis-handling. Therefore, according to anotheraspect of the invention, there is provided a building element in kitform. In use, this is assembled into a building element.

In the embodiments to be described in more detail with reference to thedrawings, the main member is a panel and is double skinned. While fixingof one panel to another or to an anchorage can be contemplated to occurin the middle of a panel (to form a T-joint) the panel will normally bearranged (once assembled) or adapted (when in kit form) to have thefixing members in the region of an edge thereof. In a building systememploying such panels, there will normally be a variety of differentpanels to be used in different ways within the final structure. In onesuch panel, the fixing member will project from an edge of the panel andin a direction parallel to the plane thereof. This will facilitatein-line fixing together of the panels when the fixing members projectsideways and fixing of the panels to a base when the fixing membersproject downwards. The fixing members can also project adjacent an edgeof the panel and in a transverse (preferably perpendicular) direction tothe plane thereof. This facilitates formation of corners in a structure.

A particular sturdy form of the fixing member is as a pin with theshoulder circularly symmetric around the pin. For more positive locationand locking of the fixing member to a contiguous co-operating element,the pin has a circularly symmetric neck there-around provided by saidshoulder and an opposing shoulder. For anchoring the element, e.g. to afloor, the fixing member is formed as a rod with a bend to provide saidshoulder. This bend can be in the plane of the panel or transverse (andpreferably perpendicular) to the plane of the panel. The panel willusually have both at least one pin in the region of a side edge of thepanel for sideways connection and at least one rod in the region of abottom edge of the panel for anchorage to a base.

As the element is assembled from the main member and the fixing memberas separate items, there will be provided holding means to hold the twotogether. Such holding means may comprise mutually co-operating threadedmeans with which the two members are provided or may comprise at leastone outwardly facing shoulder on the fixing member, at least oneinwardly facing shoulder on the main member and a retaining memberarranged or adapted co-operating with such shoulders to preventwithdrawl of the fixing member from the main member.

As the main member is a double skinned panel, it is provided, for thepurpose of in-line fixing to another element, with a block between theskins in the region of an edge of the panel, the element being arrangedor adapted for the fixing member thereof to extend through the block andbe held to the main member by the holding means at the inner face of theblock. Preferably, the holding means then comprise internally threadedmeans on a plate fixed to the said inner face.

For corner fixing, as the main member is a double skinned panel, it maybe provided with two spaced apart blocks extending alongside each otherbetween the skins, the element being arranged or adapted for the fixingmember thereof to extend through one of the skins to the space betweenthe blocks and there be held to the main member by the holding meanswhich preferably comprise internally threaded means on a plate slottedinto both blocks.

The above description has related mainly to the projecting members forfixing the element to a co-operating element or anchorage but, in acomplete building system, the element will be able to serve itself alsoas the aforesaid contiguous element. For this purpose, the element isformed with at least one opening, recess or the like arranged or adaptedto receive the elongate fixing member of a contiguous co-operatingelement according to the invention to be retained there in order to fixthe two elements together. As the main member of such an element is adouble skinned panel, this may be provided with a further block betweenthe skins in the region of an edge of the panel (which will be theopposite edge to the edge at which the fixing member/s project/s, in thecase of in-line fixing together of a series of the elements), theelement being arranged or adapted for the fixing member of thecontiguous element to be able to extend through the block and be held tothe main member by holding means at the inner face of the block. In thiscase, the latter holding means may comprise at least one shoulder onthis element facing inwardly of this element and adapted or arranged toco-operate with a retaining member and (preferably indirectly with theaid of the retaining member) with at least one shoulder on the fixingmember of the contiguous element facing towards the contiguous element,whereby to prevent withdrawal of the fixing member of the contiguouselement from the element in question. In a preferred embodiment, themain member has a lateral slot for insertion of such a retaining memberto engage (and preferably lock) the fixing member of the contiguouselement.

For different purposes within the building system, one and/or anotheredge, as appropriate, of the double skinned panel with a said block inthe region of the edge may have one of the following forms:

(a) the block extends slightly beyond both skins along substantially thewhole of the edge;

(b) both skins extend slightly beyond the block along substantially thewhole of the edge;

(c) the block is substantially flush with both skins along substantiallythe whole of the edge; or

(d) one skin extends slightly beyond the block along the whole of theedge. Such forms can aid snug fit and/or water-proofing, as exemplifiedin the following description with reference to the drawings, and mayhave other advantages, e.g. to aid fire-proofing.

If the elements are sold singly, each will normally be provided incombination with a retainer to retain the fixing member in a contiguousco-operating element or anchorage. The retainer is preferably in theform of a flat strip with an open-ended slot adapted to engage under theshoulder of the fixing member. This is particularly useful when thefixing member is a pin with a circularly symmetric shoulder and, if thepin has a neck at the shoulder in which the strip fits tightly, this canprovide a good lock in the fixing of the element to a contiguousco-operating element.

Looked at as a whole, a building system may comprise an elementaccording to the invention and an anchorage therefor arranged or adaptedto co-operate with the fixing member of such element. While theanchorage may be provided laterally by, e.g., girder work, it is moreusually envisaged as ground, floor or other base, in which case it isparticularly suitable that it should be provided with a trench havingfixed therein at least one retaining member to engage the or eachdepending fixing member of the element. The retaining member in thetrench may be transverse thereto (and to the main member) to engage asingle such fixing member and there may be a plurality of such retainingmembers in the trench to engage respective such fixing members, whichhas the advantage that the element can be placed in a position slightlyspaced from an already fixed in-line contiguous element and then simplyslid forwards to engage both that element and the retaining members inthe trench simultaneously. Alternatively, the retaining member in thetrench may be longitudinal thereto (and parallel to the main member) toengage a plurality of such fixing members depending from the element, inwhich case the element is positioned slightly to one side of its finalposition and then slid laterally thereto. In the preferred construction,the trench contains concrete to fix the shoulder of the or each relevantfixing member to bear against the retaining member. Preferably, theconcrete extends between the or each shoulder and the or each respectiveretaining member in the trench so that the bearing therebetween isindirect. In this case, the concrete prevents actual contact between thefixing member/s and the retaining member/s with the attendant advantageof helping to prevent electrolytic action and/or corrosion.

A building system, as sold, may simply comprise an element according tothe invention and at least one more element according to the inventionto co-operate therewith. As used, a building system may further comprisean anchorage for at least one of these elements.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a methodof fixing building elements in which an element according to theinvention (or such an element of a system according to the invention) isfixed to a contiguous element according to the invention (or such anelement of a system according to the invention) or anchorage byretaining in the latter a said fixing member extending from the former.Such a method may include any one or more of the further details andprinciples hereinafter disclosed.

The invention also extends to a structure made using an element, systemor method according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made by way of example to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a first embodiment of the inventionshowing two elements for in-line fixing together with retaining members;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the FIG. 1 embodiment with the elementscontiguous;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view corresponding to FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a fixing member of the FIG. 1 embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a section view, with parts broken away, taken along line 5--5of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a section view, with parts broken away, taken along line 6--6of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 7a, 7b and 7c are respectively plan, end elevation and frontelevation views of a retaining member of the FIG. 1 embodiment;

FIGS. 8a and 8b are respectively plan and end elevation views ofthreaded means on a fixing plate of holding means of the FIG. 1embodiment;

FIG. 9 is an isometric view of a second embodiment of the inventioncomprising two elements for fixing together at a corner;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the FIG. 9 embodiment with the elementscontiguous;

FIG. 11 is a front elevation views corresponding to FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a section view, with parts broken away, taken along line12--12 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a section view, with parts broken away, taken along line13--13 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 14a and 14b are respectively plan and end elevation views ofinternally threaded means on a fixing plate of holding means of the FIG.9 embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a section view, with parts broken away, of the panel andanchorage trench, of constituting a third embodiment of the invention;and

FIG. 16 is a cross section view taken along line 16--16 of FIG. 15.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 8 of the drawings, a building element 20comprises a main member 22, an elongate fixing member 24 thereforprojecting therefrom with a distal shoulder 26 (see FIG. 4) facing themain member 22 and spaced at a predetermined distance 28 (see FIG. 4)therefrom. Due to this spacing distance 28, the fixing member 24 canproject a predetermined distance 30 into a contiguous co-operatingelement 32 (see FIG. 5). These distances will be slightly larger, butstill predetermined, if a shimmy or spacing washer 34 is employed. Thefixing member 24, FIG. 5, is retained in position with the aid of saidshoulder 26 engaged by a retaining member 36 to fix the element 20 tosaid co-operating element 32.

For the purposes described, the element 20 may be supplied in the formof a kit of parts comprising the main member 22 and at least one saidfixing member 24. The shoulder 26 faces the end 38 of the fixing member24. The kit includes holding means 40,42 for holding the fixing member24 to the main member, and spacing means in the form of shoulder 44(possibly with washer 34) predetermining distances 28,30.

The fixing member 24 is a pin and the shoulder 26 is circularlysymmetric around the pin 24. Further, the pin 24 has a circularlysymmetric neck 46 therearound provided by said shoulder 26 and anopposing shoulder 48.

The main member 22 is a panel and is double skinned, being provided withthe skins 50,52, interfilled with an insulating filling 54. The fixingmember 24 is in the region of edge 56, FIG. 1, which edge extends overthe whole thickness of panel 22. The fixing member 24 projects from edge56 in a direction 58 parallel to the plane of the panel.

The holding means 40,42 comprise mutually cooperating threaded means 40with which member 24 is provided and 42 with which member 22 isprovided. The panel 22 is provided with a block 62 in the region of edge56, a block 64 in the region of the opposite edge and blocks 66,68 toseal in the filling 54 and structure panel 22 by having fixed theretothe skins 50,52. The narrow part 60 of fixing member 24 extends throughthe block 62 (see FIG. 5) and is held to the main member 22 by theholding means 40,42 at the inner face 70 of the block 62. The holdingmeans comprise a portion 42 consisting of internally threaded means inthe form of nut 72 on (and welded to) a plate 74 fixed by woodscrews 76to said inner face 70. The holding means also comprise a portion 40which is an externally threaded portion of fixing member 24.

In assembly of element 20, block 62 is prepared with holes 78. Portions42 of the holding means are manufactured as shown in FIGS. 8a and 8b andfixed by woodscrews 76 to block 62. Blocks 62, 64, 66 and 68 as a frameare fixed together with one of skins 50,52. Filling 54 is inserted andthe other skin fixed in place, the fixing being done by screws, nails orany other convenient means. After the element 20 has been transported tothe site, fixing members 24 (possibly with washers 34) are screwed homeinto nuts 72.

Element 32 is identical with element 20. Element 32 is formed with atleast one opening, recess or the like 80 in its block 64 to receive thefixing member 24 of a contiguous co-operating element 20 to be retainedthere to fix the two elements together. As seen in FIG. 5, the wide part82 of fixing member 24 of element 20 extends through the block 64 ofelement 32 and is held to the main member of element 32 by holding meanscomprising retaining member 36 at the inner face 84 of the block 64. Theholding means further comprise the shoulder 86 formed at the junction offace 84 and hole 80 and shoulder 26 of fixing member 24. The three partsco-operate to prevent withdrawal from element 32 of the fixing member 24of the contiguous element 20. The main member has a lateral slot 88 forinsertion of the retaining member 36 to engage the fixing member 24 ofthe contiguous element 20.

For a second embodiment of the invention, for corner construction,reference will now be made to FIGS. 9 to 14 of the drawings, in whichlike designations are used for parts having like functions to those inthe first embodiment. Elements 90 and 92 correspond respectively toelements 20 and 32. As seen in FIG. 9, the right-hand end of element 90and the left-hand end of element 92 have the same form and functions asthe corresponding ends of elements 20 and 32. The other end of each ofelements 90 and 92 is modified to accommodate a corner connection. Thefixing member 24 projects as aforesaid adjacent an edge 56 of element90, the edge extending over the whole thickness of the element, theprojection being in a transverse direction 94 to the plane of theelement 90 and, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, this direction beingperpendicular to such plane. The double skinned panel main member 96 isprovided with two spaced apart blocks 98,100 extending alongside eachother between the skins 50,52. The fixing member 24 extends through oneof the skins 52 to the space 102 between the blocks 98, 100 is heldthere to the main member 96 by holding means comprising internallythreaded means 104 on plate 106 slotted into both of blocks 98,100.Alternatively, as shown in dashed lines in FIG. 12, the holding meansmay comprise at least one outwardly facing shoulder 108 on the fixingmember 24, at least one inwardly facing shoulder 110 on the main member96 and a retaining member 106 shaped and acting like the retainingmember 36 with no threaded portions thereon or on member 24, whichlatter may in fact have mutually symmetrical ends. Space 102 may befilled with a block 102 drilled with skin 52 and serving to supportmember 24 against sideways movement when plate 106 serving the functionof retaining member 36 is inserted. Plate 106 may be provided with astop 112 to prevent it from being inserted too far.

As will be seen, for different purposes, one or another edge of elements20,32,90,92 may have, as seen in FIG. 9:

(a) block 62 extending slightly beyond both skins 50,52 alongsubstantially the whole of the edge 114,

(b) both skins 50,52 extending slightly beyond the block 64 alongsubstantially the whole of the edge 116,

(c) the block 100 substantially flush with both skins 50,52 alongsubstantially the whole of the edge 56 or

(d) one skin 50 extending slightly beyond the block 64 alongsubstantially the whole of the edge 118.

With reference to FIGS. 15,16, a third embodiment of the invention issuitable for fixing the element 20 to a contiguous co-operatinganchorage 120. The fixing member 122 is a rod with a bend 124 to providesaid shoulder 126. The element 20 has said bend 124 in the plane of thepanel 22 (the plane of FIG. 15). Anchorage 120 co-operates with thefixing member 122 of element 20. The anchorage 120 is ground, floor orother base 134 with a trench 128 having fixed therein a retaining member130 to engage the fixing member 122. The retaining member 130 in thetrench 128 is transverse to the plane of element 20 to engage a singlesuch fixing member 122. As shown in dashed lines, there may be aplurality of such retaining members 130 in the trench to engagerespective such fixing members 122 spaced apart along the length of theelement 20. In an alternative arrangement, the bends 124 of fixingmembers 122 are rotated out of the plane of the element 20, as shown indashed lines in FIG. 15 and the retaining member 132 in the trench 128is parallel to the plane of element 20 to engage a plurality of suchfixing members 122.

In either case, the trench contains concrete 136 to fix the shoulder tobear against the retaining member or members 130,132. Preferably, asshown, the concrete extends beyond between the or each shoulder 126 andthe or each respective retaining member 130,132 in the trench 128 sothat the bearing therebetween is indirect.

Preferably, as seen in FIG. 3, one and the same panel, e.g. 20, has atleast one fixing member 24 in the region of a side edge 56 of the panelmain member 22 and at least one fixing member 122 in the region of abottom edge 137 of the panel main member 22.

The elements are fixed to one another and to the anchorage ashereinabove described to make any suitable structure, which may therebybe made modular. The retaining members 36 and fixing members 24 are madeto tolerances such as to ensure that they and the elements are lockedinto position slightly stressed. Spacing means for fixing members 122may be e.g. upset lugs 138 or a removable template 140 to indicate whenmember 122 is screwed sufficiently far into nut 72.

The frame blocks 62,64,66 and 68 and the skins 50,52 can be made of atough, dense, cement-bonded particle board, e.g. that manufactured underthe trade name DURIPANEL by the Chessminster Group Limited of YstradMynach, near Caerphilly, Glamorgan, Wales.

Any features hereinabove disclosed may be combined in any way so long asthey are compatible.

The elements illustrated may be used to constitute the walls of housesor other buildings and may be one storey high, somewhat wider and 94 mm.thick. They may be fixed together one row upon another. Fixing member24, FIG. 4, may be 112 mm. long and 18 mm. outside diameter. The fixingand retaining members and holding means may be of stainless steel. Theparts of each Figure may be mutually to scale.

For the purpose of the present description and claims, "anchored" means"firmly fixed." As seen from the embodiments, the fixing means are fixedfirmly (i.e. anchored) to the relevant block(s) of the main member byanchorage means shown, for example in FIG. 5, as constituting thethreaded holding means 42 which engage with the threaded end of fixingmember 24 passing through the block. In FIG. 12, the anchorage meansconstitute plate 106 anchored to the spaced apart blocks 98 and 100 andengageable with the threaded end of pin 24 passing through block meansdefined by the spaced apart blocks and the space therebetween.

The scope and variety of embodiments of the invention are not limited bythe foregoing description but can have the widest applicationsconsistent with the ensuing claims.

What is claimed:
 1. A building assembly comprising:first and secondbuilding elements comprising first and second respective double-skinnedpanel members; at least one elongate fixing member having a longitudinalaxis, said member having an anchoring end and a locking end; first blockmeans in a region of an edge of said first panel member for supportingsaid fixing member, the anchoring end of said fixing member passingthrough said block means; anchor means on said anchoring end and saidfirst block means for firmly anchoring said fixing member to said firstpanel member with the locking end projecting from said panel member;second block means in a region of an edge of said second panel memberfor receiving the projecting portion of said fixing member; the lockingend of said fixing member passing through said second block means, saidlocking end comprising a head portion and a recessed portion locatedadjacent to said head portion to define shoulder means; a lockingelement engageable with the locking end of said fixing member, saidlocking element comprising a plate having an open-ended slot extendinglongitudinally from one end thereof, said slot being configured toreceive the recessed locking end portion of said fixing member; and saidsecond panel member having an opening in one of its skin panels topermit insertion of said locking element for engagement with the lockingend of said fixing member to retain said building elements in contiguousrelation.
 2. The building assembly of claim 1, wherein said first andsecond block means extend substantially the entire length of said paneledge between the skins of said respective panel members.
 3. The buildingassembly of claim 1, wherein the locking end of said fixing memberprojects from said first panel member in a direction parallel to theplane thereof.
 4. The building assembly of claim 1, wherein the lockingend of said fixing member projects from said first panel member in adirection perpendicular to the plane thereof.
 5. The building assemblyof claim 1, wherein said anchor means comprises a plate connected tosaid first block means and includes interengageable threaded fastenerson the anchoring end of said fixing member and said plate.
 6. Thebuilding assembly of claim 1 wherein said first block means comprises apair of block members spaced apart to define a space therebetween, saidanchor means comprising a plate connected to said block members andextending across said space, and including interengageable fasteners onthe anchoring end of said fixing member and said plate.
 7. The buildingassembly of claim 1, including a base defining a trench, at least oneadditional elongate fixing member having an anchoring end and a lockingend, the locking end of said additional fixing member including shouldermeans, third block means in a region of a bottom edge of one of saidpanels for supporting said additional fixing member, the anchoring endof said additional fixing member passing through said third block means,anchor means on said anchoring end of said additional fixing member andsaid third block means for firmly anchoring said additional fixingmember to said associated panel with the locking end projecting fromsaid panel member, said building elements located on said base with thelocking end of said additional fixing member projecting into saidtrench, and an additional locking element fixed in said trenchengageable with the locking end shoulder means of said additional fixingmember.